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Saturday, March 26, 2005
Here, take my place
What comes first, the man or the team? However much one criticises
Sourav Ganguly, for his petulance, the decline of his batting, his
bull-headedness, it's undeniable that he has built a team with better
team spirit than any other Indian side before it. These men would do
anything for each other and the team, and while Ganguly has often
asked his men to make sacrifices, he has also made them himself. Part
of the best opening pair in one-day international cricket, he dropped
himself down the order so Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar could
open together. And later, he dropped himself from No. 3, the other
position to which he is well-suited, so that VVS Laxman could play.
And today, after Tendulkar was out, he sent Laxman out at No. 5. Both
Laxman and Ganguly have been out of touch; both have had their place
in the side questioned; both needed to rebuild their confidence on a
pitch like this; and it was Ganguly who was the incumbent No. 5. But
he shifted it around, presumably because he felt it was the right thing
to do for his side. The crowds cheered when Laxman walked in, as
much for Ganguly as for VVS.
Sourav Ganguly, for his petulance, the decline of his batting, his
bull-headedness, it's undeniable that he has built a team with better
team spirit than any other Indian side before it. These men would do
anything for each other and the team, and while Ganguly has often
asked his men to make sacrifices, he has also made them himself. Part
of the best opening pair in one-day international cricket, he dropped
himself down the order so Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar could
open together. And later, he dropped himself from No. 3, the other
position to which he is well-suited, so that VVS Laxman could play.
And today, after Tendulkar was out, he sent Laxman out at No. 5. Both
Laxman and Ganguly have been out of touch; both have had their place
in the side questioned; both needed to rebuild their confidence on a
pitch like this; and it was Ganguly who was the incumbent No. 5. But
he shifted it around, presumably because he felt it was the right thing
to do for his side. The crowds cheered when Laxman walked in, as
much for Ganguly as for VVS.
